


The Little Mer-Lance

by StormZH



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Little Mermaid AU!, M/M, brief mention of Keith’s dad, he’s not really there, klance, that’s about it yup yup, this is bad(please help me), this was originally just a birthday present
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-15
Updated: 2018-05-15
Packaged: 2019-05-07 11:25:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14670099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StormZH/pseuds/StormZH
Summary: Just a Little Mermaid AU for Voltron. This was originally just a birthday present for my friend, but I’ve been convinced to “publish?” it on this fun little site! Read it if you like this stuff, I guess???





	The Little Mer-Lance

**Author's Note:**

> So, hi! This is my first story to publish on here, and I’m a little nervous! Read with caution of my stupidity, cause I’m pretty sure this isn’t as good as my friends said it was...

Earth. A worldly place for humans to frolic with the flowers. A lively spring of life where even the overwhelming and approaching death doesn't stop it's creatures from living a life of joy in their creation.  
But there is a place below the earth. Where even the smartest of the humans couldn't find, but sought out in unconscious dreams. Some pursue these dreams as pirates or sailors or marines, but they can never truly know the joy of the ocean.  
   

A large ship rolled through the fog along the ocean's surface. Sailors sang their jolly chants as they drifted through the waves carelessly, not knowing the mystical secrets that roam below them.

"I'll tell you a tale of the bottomless blue!  
And it's hey to the starboard, heave-ho!  
Brave sailor, beware, cause a big 'uns a-brewlin!  
In mysterious fathoms below, heave-ho!"  
A young man stood by the railing as the sailors tugged on the sails.  
"Your majesty," An older man approached him. "Another one?!"  
The prince rolled his eyes. "I just haven't found the one."  
"It's bad enough you've chosen to look for a boy. Now you're rejecting all of the ones offered!"  
"Look," He pushed off from the railand walked towards the center. "When I find the one I want to marry, I'll tell you. I just haven't found him yet."  
"But your majesty-"  
"You're getting seasick, go downstairs. I'll take care of my life." The prince shifted to help the sailors as the old man goffed at him.

"I'll sing you a song of the king of the sea.  
An' it's hey to the starboard, heave-ho!  
The ruler of all of the oceans is he!  
In mysterious fathoms below- fathoms below, below!  
From whence wayward westerlies blow where Triton is king, and his merpeople sing-  
In mysterious fathoms below!"

§§§§§§§  
     
"BEEP, BOH BEEP BOOP, BI BI BEEP BOP BEEP! BEEP BIP BOP BOOP, BEEEEEEEEEEEEP BOOOOOOOP!"  
WELCOME, ALL FELLOW MERFOLK, TO THIS YEAR'S BIGGEST PERFORMANCE! PLEASE ALL APPLAUD FOR, THE KING!

The crowds roared as the curtains parted to reveal the king riding in a smokey black chariot pulled by roaring sea lions. He was muscled like a Trojan warrior with a magical black arm in replacement of the one he lost in a war a year back. Behind him in a tiny marble shell, his assistant, a green crab, rode in. 

"Nervous about the performance, Shiro?" The king, Shiro, only allowed his assistant to call him by his name like this.  
"You know how Lance is, Pidge."  
"Don't worry! I trained him so well that he practically has the voice of a bell!"  
Shiro rolled his eyes in retort. "Just get on with it, Pidge."  
Shiro rode to the balcony of the theater as Pidge set up with the orchestra.  
"Cah-CUM!" Pidge coughed to ward silence in the theater. The orchestra played a sweet, poppy melody as five large shells rose from the trap doors on stage. They popped open and revealed five different children with euphoric voices.

"Oh, we are the children of Shiro, great father who loves us and named us well!  
Allura...  
Veronica...  
Hayrim...  
Marco...  
Luis...  
Lotor...  
And then there is the youngest in his musical debut!  
Our seventh little brother, we're presenting him to you, to sing a song that dear Pidge wrote.  
He'll put you in a trance!  
He's our brother, Lan-" 

The crowds gasped as the orchestra went quiet in realization of the missing prince. The tension rose as anger pursed through the king and his assistant. 

...  
"LANCE!"

 

In the depths, there was an ominous ship among the ocean floor. All the merfolk were smart enough to stay away from such ships, and to stay away from the surface. They were raised to fear the humans and the land that came with them. However, one little merman believed that the humans were more than what they were told. And this one couldn't help himself in venturing beyond the kingdom's borders.

"Lance," gasp. "Slow down! I can't keep up with you!"  
"Chum it, Hunk!" Lance, the mischievous prince himself, had taken to searching the ship with his best friend for more human-things to add to his collection.  
"Seriously, I don't think we should be doing this."  
"Don't be such a guppy, Hunk!" Lance swam past him to scout the ship before entering through a small window.  
"I'm not a guppy! Hey!"  
"Come on!"  
Hunk followed Lance through the window- or at least- he thought. His large, yellow fish body couldn't fit through the window, and he got stuck halfway through.  
"Uh-Lance..."  
"Hurry up!"  
"Lance, I'm stuck! Lance! I need help, I don't wanna get eaten by sharks and there might be sharks out here and if we get eaten then the king will get mad and he'll kill us or banish us or send me as food to the humans and I don't want that to happen Lance! I DON'T WANNA DIE!"  
Lance giggled and floated in front of him, his bag already had some objects inside. "Hold on, Hunk, I got you. And you're not gonna die." Lance gripped him by his fins and pulled harshly until Hunk popped out. "See? You're fine."  
He swam away and searched more rooms for more human objects. The ship was filled with molded furniture, human skeletons, and torn cloths. There were riches and plates and cups in the open area, but Lance wanted more. He swam through a hole into another room with a large window in the front.  
"Woooow. Look at all this stuff!" He awed and flicked his blue tail in excitement.  
"Lance, I'm serious. There could be sharks here."  
"There's no sharks here, Hunk."  
"But there could be!"  
Hunk swam to the window to check before turning back around to face Lance.  
"Hunk, trust me."  
"Lance, we're all on our own. That means that sharks won't be too scared to wander in!"  
"Hunk, nothing's going to happen."

Something happened.

Just then, Mother Nature decided to hone in and drop one of her monsters on the two- a large great white burst through the window and snapped at Hunk in hunger. Lance and Hunk swam for their lives through the ship, almost getting caught in the debris as the shark broke through the ship with it's humongous body.  
Hunk launched himself through the window, but once again, he got stuck halfway through.  
"Lance!" Regret, regret, regret. Lance pushed Hunk through and swam out himself. The shark chased after them, inevitably completely destroying the ship.  
Hunk swam around the ship's mast to the top. Lance, not paying attention, didn't notice until his friend banged into the wood and was knocked out flat, sinking to the bottom. Before hitting the floor, Lance caught him. Fortunately, an anchor was in the way of the shark's path, and the shark ran head first into it through the anchor's handle.  
Hunk could relate to the feeling of being stuck in a small, circular surface.  
Hunk felt know pity for the shark. "You big bully!" He blew a raspberry at the shark, but hurried away when the shark snapped at him, and went to follow Lance, who was- oh no. He was swimming to the surface...

 

A seagull perched amongst a cluster of rocks in the shallows.  
"Hum dee dum, mum dee mull, I'm the most gorgeous seagull!" The seagull sang in his own happy place looking through a pair of binoculars.  
"Coran!" Lance popped out of the water and waved at his hyper friend.  
"Oh!" He jumped and flipped his binoculars backwards. "Well would you look at that! It's Lance and Hunk, slowly making their way towards me! My jolly 'ol felleroos!" He lowered his binoculars to find the two right in front of him. "Woah! You swim fast!"  
Lance giggled and lifted his bag.  
"Ah, more human bajoogies, eh?" Coran nodded his head in approving. "Pour 'em out, let's see what you got."  
Lance emptied the bag onto the rocks. Two objects fell out.  
"Ooh, this!" He plucked a piece of metal shaped like a miniature trident with his wing. "This is called- a dinglehopper!"  
Lance a Hunk gasped and spoke in unison: "A dinglehopper?"  
Coran nodded once more. "Humans used these little deelios to style their hair. They just brush it in their hair and boom- luscious locks for the men to gawk!"  
"Ooooooh!" Lance stared at the dinglehopper with a dreamy look on his face.  
"And this!" This time, he picked up a brown, craney looking thing. "I haven't seen this in years! A banded, boobous, snarfblatt!"  
"Ooooooh!"  
"Humans used this in prehistoric times when all they could do was just stare at each other." He leaned into Lance's face. "All day. Very boring." He pulled back. "So they made this! For music!"  
"Music!"  
Coran let loose on the instrument, blowing in through the hole on the top.  
Nothing happened.  
"Huh," Coran tilted the thing upside down and shook it. "I guess years in the ocean really messed it up! No worries!"  
"Thanks Coran!" Lance gathered his items and poured them back into his bag.  
"No problem, my buddy! Maybe you can fix the snarfblatt and play it for yourself!"  
"Yeah, that would be real gre- oh my seashells!"  
Hunk jumped out of the water. "Wh-what?!"  
"Music!" Lance panicked. "The concert! Pidge is gonna kill me! I'm sorry Coran, I have to go!"  
"Go ahead, kid!"  
"Come on, Hunk! They're probably already planning my funeral!"

§§§§§§§

"I can't believe he missed the concert!" King Shiro sat in his throne, Pidge by his side snapping her pincers in frustration.  
"You should have never left your eyes off him! I knew something like this would happen! This was going to be my greatest creation! The epiphany of the year!"  
"I know Pidge."  
"Which is why you should give him the greatest punishment! Show him who's boss!" 

Lance and Hunk spilled into the room anxiously. "Daddy!" Lance stopped in front of his father. "Daddy, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to miss it, I swear."  
"You've completely ruined the concert!"  
"I know, daddy, I'm sorry!"  
"Really, it was crazy!" Hunk broke in to help his friend. "You don't understand! You see, there was this shark. Yeah, a shark! And the shark was chasing us like- AARRRGHK- and we were like- AHHH- but then we got away! And then the seagull started talking to us and he was like-YARF YARF, DINGLEHOPPER! And then we-"  
Shiro shot up fast. "A seagull?" He glared at his own son. "You went to the surface?!"  
"Daddy, I-"  
"How could you? Do you know what would happen if those humans caught you?"  
"Yes! But they might not all be that bad!"  
"Humans are dangerous creatures not to be dealt with Lance, we've talked about this!"  
"I know-"  
"I don't want to hear about you going to the surface ever again."  
"Daddy-"  
"Ever."  
Lance's eyes started to water as he stared into his father's eyes. He grabbed Hunks fin and rushed away, eager to leave the palace.

Sigh. The king looked miserable. "Do you think I was too hard on him?"  
"Of course not. If fact, I think you were too nice! He can't be on his own like this if he can't even follow one simple rule!"  
The king's eyes lit up as Pidge spoke. "Yes. He needs someone to look after him at all times."  
"Yes,"  
"Someone who could inform me on Lance's whereabouts."  
"Yes,"  
"And make sure he stays out of trouble."  
"Yes, Shiro."  
He sighed once more. "Thank you so much, Pidge. I don't know what I'd do without you. Now go catch up, Lance is getting further away as we speak."  
"Yes, I know- wait, what?"  
"You are looking after Lance. Now, go."  
"But-"  
"Pidge."  
"Fine."

It took a while, but Pidge managed to find the two just as they took off into the ocean.  
Pidge squinted her eyes. "Where are they going?" She followed them to a cave blocked off by a large boulder, in which she barely managed to enter the cave as the two let the boulder slam shut. Through the narrow path of the cave, the hall opened into a large room filled with thousands and thousands of man-made items. "No way," she whispered. Pidge was about to shout, when she heard a familiar voice fill the air.

"I mean, if only I could make my father understand. I just don't see how a world that makes such wonderful things could be so bad."

...  
"Look at this stuff, isn't it neat?  
Wouldn't you think my collection's complete?  
Wouldn't you think I'm the guy, the guy who has everything?  
Look at this trove, treasures untold! How many wonders can one cavern hold?  
Looking around here you think, sure, he's got everything.  
I've got gadgets and gizmos a-plenty, i've got whozits and whatzits galore!  
You want thingamabobs? I've got twenty!  
But who cares? No big deal. I want more!" Lance slowly caressed item after item like they were his own children. A look plastered on his face that one could only describe as pure love.

"I wanna be where the people are.  
I wanna see, wanna see them dancing!  
Walking around on those - what do you call 'em? Oh - feet!" He giggled and wiggled his fins as if he had feet of his own.

"Flippin' your fins, you don't get too far.  
Legs are required for jumping, dancing!  
Strolling along down a - what's that word again? Street!  
Up where they walk, up where they run, up where they stay all day in the sun!  
Wandering free - wish I could be, part of that world!" He made a face of anguish as he looked towards a hole in the ceiling of the cavern, giving a perfect view of the surface above.

"What would I give if I could live out of these waters?  
What would I pay to spend a day warm on the sand?  
Bet'cha on land they understand, bet they don't reprimand their daughters.  
Bright young women, sick of swimming, ready to stand!" He rose taller as if somehow that would transform him into something else.

"I'm ready to know what the people know,  
Ask them my questions and get some answers!  
What is a fire and why does it - what's the word? Burn!" He started to rise towards the ceiling and reaching out towards the surface.

"When's it my turn? Wouldn't I love?  
Love to explore that world up above? Out of the sea," He started turning breathless. "Wish I could be," A tear rolled down his cheek as he touched the sun far above him beyond the water.

"Part of that... world."

After a long, mourning silence, a clash erupted Lance's longing.  
"Wha- Pidge? What are you doing here?" Lancer swam over to help Pidge, who had been shocked enough to fall into a manifestation of beads and rings and a cup, as well as many other things she didn't bother to look at.  
"What are you doing here, with all this- stuff?!" She waved her pincers around as if to prove her point. "You are really in for it this time, Lance! Once I tell your father-"  
"Oh, please don't tell him, please!" Lance begged. "Please, this is the only thing I have!"  
"Oh, don't look at me with those eyes!"  
"Please! It's just items, Pidge. They can't do any harm!"  
"Oh, yeah right! I'm sure if it's important enough, it could lead a human right- Lance?" She then noticed the shadow that had overtaken the cavern. And Lance was swimming to the surface. "Lance!" 

Lance popped his head out of their water to see a giant boat sailing the waters.  
"It's a ship!" By now, the sun had set, and the moon had risen. The humans seemed to be cheering as a faint sound of happy music rang through the air. Hunk and Pidge surfaced after him. "I've gotta get closer."  
"Oh, no you don't." Pidge shook her head.  
"Yeah Lance," Hunk was shaking at the sight of a ship so close. "I really, really don't think this is a good idea."

As usual- and expected- Lance ignored the call of his friends and dove into the water, fastly approaching the ship. Up close, the ship had a small pattern of wood on the side, like a ladder. Lance climbed his way up and used the gutter at the top as a handle and a window. He looked through the gutter and stared in amazement at the sight before him. Humans alike were dancing and singing as music played from musicians- whom even they were dancing!  
"Lance!" Coran flapped his wings next to his friend-out-of-the-water. "What are you doing here?"  
"Watching the humans!" A hairless, baby something caught Lance's scent and started making it's way to him. "Oh, no." Lance tried to hide, but it was no use. The baby animal licked up Lance's face before being called back by his master. 

"Hamilton! Get over here, boy!" The baby waddled his way over to-

Lance could barely contain his gasp.

Scratching underneath the animal's chin was the most razzle dazzling creature he'd ever seen.  
The human had silky black hair left flowing in the wind, with warm, violet eyes that stood out against his porcelain-colored skin.  
"Wowie," He was breathtaking.  
"Are you okay?" Coran pecked his friend to gain his attention.  
Lance simply sighed helplessly in reply. "Isn't he gorgeous?"  
"Who? Him?" He pointed to the animal, now yipping and dancing with his human.  
"No," Lance grabbed Coran's face and forced his head in the boy's direction. "Him."  
"Ohhhhh,"  
"Attention!" Some old guy stepped to the front. "As you well may know, I am Kolivan. I represent our heir to the throne! His majesty, Prince Keith!" He gestured to the boy Lance was fawning over.  
"Keith." Lance leaned forward to see more.  
"Now, to honor the prince, I would like to present a very special gift that we have made for him."  
"Kolivan," Keith stepped forward. Oh dear Neptune, his voice was hot. "Please. Enough with this, you know I don't like this much attention."  
Kolivan leaned towards his ear. "Deal with it. Now," he snapped to attention. "Presenting,"  
The sheets were pulled off of something large and white underneath. It was a- a statue. Of the prince.  
"Oh, wow." Keith looked uncomfortable.  
"Isn't it amazing?" Kolivan tilted his head in Keith's direction. "Imagine all the hard work people slaved into this!"  
"It's great, Kolivan. Really."  
"I know!"  
Suddenly, the wind picked up. The crew hadn't noticed the storm brewing as they were partying.  
"Everyone!" Keith called, looking up at the sky. "Off the boat!"  
"What?" Kolivan practically screamed at him. "Why? We can control this-,"  
Lightning struck the boat and set it on fire in a flash of light and a clap of roaring thunder. People screamed and dashed for the rowboats, desperate to get off the burning ship.

"Keith!" Kolivan called out for him. "Come on, we have to go!"  
"I'm not leaving without him!"  
Who? Lance thought.  
"Hamilton! Where are you?"  
His pet.  
Lance had been tossed back into the ocean when the lightning struck. His friends had swam(also flew) off as soon as the danger started, but Lance had stayed behind to make sure his prince would be alright.  
A loud yip was heard above, and Hamilton was seen stuck underneath a fallen plank.  
"Don't worry, I got you buddy." Kolivan had long jumped off, but Keith wasn't about to leave his baby behind. He raced to Hamilton and braced the plank against his back.  
Wow. He's really strong.  
Keith picked his pet up and left the plank to clatter back to the ground. He looked for a way out, but couldn't see anything. The smoke was really getting to his head. He heard shouting and ran to the edge of the boat where Kolivan awaited him in a rowboat, already wading through the water.  
"Jump Keith!"  
"Take Hamilton first!" Keith tossed his pet into Kolivan's arms before another plank fell in front of him and he had to dive out of the way. Now back in the center of the boat, he couldn't see a way out. His lungs were inhaling too much smoke, and he was about to pass out. In a rush of adrenaline, he ran and jumped off the side of the boat, going through the fire.  
Sploosh!  
Lance waited, but Keith never came back up. "Oh no." Lance dove under the water and flicked his tail as fast as he could. The prince was swaying through the water, the combination of smoke and water in his lungs made him faint. Lance anxiously grabbed him from underneath his arms and hauled him above water. He saw a small plank and set Keith on it, holding on tight, waiting for the storm to pass.

§§§§§§§

The sun was out once again, and Lance was hovering over his prince. He had lead him to the shore and placed him on the sand.  
"Ok, now I really don't like this." Hunk hid in the water while Pidge and Coran stuck with Lance on the shore.  
"He's really beautiful, isn't he?" Lance brushed a piece of hair out of Keith's face. "Is he dead?"  
"Well, let's see." Coran flapped his wings a little to shimmy near Keith's feet and picked up a foot. "Oh, kid, I'm sorry to tell ya." He held the foot against his head. "I'm not hearing any heartbeat."  
"No," Lance started grinning. "No, look! He's breathing." Lance looked at Keith in adoration as he watched Keith's chest rise and fall. Lance suddenly got a contented look on his face. 

"What would I give to live where you are?" He sang gently to him while caressing his face. "What would I pay to stay here beside you?  
What would I do to see you smiling at me?  
Where would we walk?  
Where would we run?  
If we could stay all day in the sun?" Keith slowly started to wake up and flickered his eyes a bit, trying to reconcile with the world.  
"Just you and me, and I could be, part of your world."  
"Keith!" Kolivan, as Lance remembered, was coming around the corner. Lance had enough sense to slip back into the water before he was caught.  
"Hey," Keith sat up slowly. "Did you see that?"  
"What are you talking about, Keith?"  
"There was a boy here, he was singing to me. I think he saved me but, his voice. It was the most beautiful sound I've ever heard."  
"I think the seawater is getting to you, my boy. Let's get you washed up."  
"I'm not lying, there was someone here."  
"Yes, of course, Keith. Come along!"  
The two walked away, Keith leaning on Kolivan for support. When he thought it was safe, Lance hefted himself on a large rock and watched Keith walk away.  
"I don't know when, I don't know how, but I know something's starting right now!  
Watch and you'll see, someday I'll be," Lance gripped the edge as he lifted himself up just as a large wave splashed against the back of the rock.  
"Part of your, world!"  
"Lance, get down! They could see you!" Hunk tried to slap Lance with his fin, but he he was too high up.  
"I'm fine, Hunk, absolutely fine!" Lance looked wonderstruck. His eyes seemed to sparkle with a new, burning fire.  
"Uh...you okay?"  
"Of course Hunk! Everything is perfect! Let's go home!"

§§§§§§§

"Lance! You've been in there for ten minutes, let me in!" Lotor banged against the bathroom door.  
"Sure thing, Lolo!" Lance opened the door and pecked his brother on the cheek, spinning and dancing around as he plucked a flower from his vanity and held it against his lips.  
"Is he okay?" The king whispered to his oldest daughter, looking at his son in concern. Lance spun and placed the flower in Shiro's hair.  
"Have a nice day at work, daddy!" Lance giggled and swam away spinning.  
"Seriously..."  
"Oh, can't you see, daddy?" Allura leaned and put her arm on Shiro's shoulder. "He's in love!"  
"My son...is in, in love?"  
    
§§§§§§§

"Interesting." A shallow, snake-like voice rang through a dark cave. "The prince has fallen in love with a human! It's perfect!"  
Two eels swam by a dark figure. "Master," one of them called. "We could use this!"  
"Of course I could use this, idiots!" The voice snapped. "Now go, find my pretty little prince, and bring him to me. I'll be watching."

§§§§§§§

"Lance?" Pidge sat underneath Lance, who was lounging on top of a rock picking flowers from their stems.  
"He loves me, he loves me not." Le gasp. "He loves me!"  
"Lance! Oh my gosh, enough of this! You can't fall in love with someone you just met. Especially a human!"  
"But he's just so enchanting, Pidge! Love conquers all, and this is true love at first sight! I just want to be on land and- and get to see trees! Trees, Pidge!"  
Pidge hopped onto the rock. "But what's so great up there? Look," Pidge jumped off and scuttled her way to the center of the clearing. "I'll even dim down to your language since I speak so much more complex than you do:

"The seaweed is always greener, in somebody else's lake.  
You dream about going up there, but that is a big mistake!  
Just look at the world around you, right here on the ocean floor.  
Such wonderful things surround you, what more is you looking for?  
Under the sea, under the sea;Darling it's better, down where it's wetter, take it from me! (Wait, should I say that?)"  
Schools of fish began to become attracted to the music and began playing their own to go along with the song.  
"Up on the shore they work all day, out in the sun they slave away!  
While we devoting, full time to floating, under the sea!" Pidge presented herself in horrifying grammar, and griminanced with each word.  
"Down here all the fish is happy, as off through the waves they roll.  
The fish on the land ain't happy, they sad 'cause they in their bowl.  
But fish in the bowl is lucky, they in for a worser fate!  
One day when the boss get hungry, guess who's gon' be on the plate?" A poor fish represented being eaten.  
"Under the sea, under the sea!  
Nobody beat us, fry us and eat us, in fricassee!  
We what the land folks loves to cook, under the sea we off the hook!  
We got no troubles, life is the bubbles! Under the sea!" a chorus of fish began to sing along with Pidge as she started bouncing along with her rhythm, getting into it.  
"Under the sea! Since life is sweet here, we got the beat here, naturally!  
Even the sturgeon an' the ray, they get the urge 'n' start to play!" The two called out played their music louder.  
"We got the spirit, you got to hear it, under the sea!  
The newt play the flute, the carp play the harp, the plaice play the bass, and they soundin' sharp.  
The bass play the brass, the chub play the tub, the fluke is the duke of soul!" Pidge came across each as she pointed them out.  
"The ray he can play, the lings on the strings, the trout rockin' out, the blackfish she sings!  
The smelt and the sprat, they know where it's at, an' oh that blowfish blow!Yeah, under the sea, under the sea!  
When the sardine, begin the beguine, it's music to me!  
What do they got? A lot of sand? We got a hot crustacean band!  
Each little clam here, now how to jam here, under the sea!  
Each little slug here, cuttin' a rug here, under the sea!  
Each little snail here, know how to wail here;  
That's why it's hotter, under the water!  
Ya we in luck here, down in the muck here, under the sea!" All the sea creatures finished their song by pointing at Lance, who was staring in shock and amazement-just kidding, he's not there.  
The others looked around confused, but soon became bored and swam off. Before Pidge could go looking after Lance(she was assuming he was in his trove), a little seahorse came to inform her that the king was looking for her.  
"Oh, no."

 

The king was sitting on his throne, playing with the little flower that Lance had given him that morning. He looked up as Pidge entered the hall. "Ah, Pidge! Please, come here!" Pidge gulped and made her way to Shiro.  
"Anything you need, Shiro?"  
"Yes," He beconned Pidge forward. She scuttled a little closer. "Tell me, why would you keep such a thing about Lance from me?"  
"A-about Lance? What about Lance?"  
"You know? Being- in love?"  
"Oh!" Nervous laughter. "That! Yeah!"  
"Hmm?"  
...  
"I-I...I told him not to do it, I swear! But he didn't listen, and he swam up to the surface anyway, and then he met that human and left back for home! I swear, I didn't have anything to do with it!"

...

"What?!"

§§§§§§§

"Hunk, what is it already?" Hunk had dragged Lance back to his cavern for a surprise. They stopped in front of a silk white sheet, which wasn't there before.  
"Okay, Lance, you are going to love this!" He ripped off the sheet to reveal- it was the statue of Keith!  
"Hunk!" Lance hugged his friend tight before flinging himself into Keith's arms. "Oh, it's wonderful! Thank you so much! How did you find it?"  
"Oh, well, after the ship sank, it really wasn't that hard to get."  
"You're amazing, Hunk."  
"I know,"  
Lance turned back to his prince. "So, Keith, fancy seeing you here. I didn't know you liked to travel 'round these waters!" Lance tried to speak seductively, but ended up giggling like an anime character.  
A cough interrupted his flirting. "Lance." At the doorway, the king and Pidge stood. "Just what do you think you are doing?"  
"D-daddy!" Lance shot up from his slouch and swam to be in front of his statue. "This isn't what it looks like!"  
Shiro ignored him and instead pressed on. "Is it true," anger seethed from his mouth. "That you went to the surface?!" He held his magical arm out and it started to glow.  
"Yes, but it isn't as bad as you think it is-"  
"Not as bad? They care about nothing but the destruction of our people!"  
"They don't love destruction, daddy, their just as scared of it as we are!"  
"If that is true, then why are so many of us dead because of them?"  
"But daddy I love him!"  
Silence echoed through the air. If you were closer, you may have even heard Lance's heartbeat trying to race from his chest.  
"You," Shiro's eyes started to glow purple. "Are in love with a human?"  
"They really aren't all that you think, daddy!"  
"No," Shiro shook his head. "No, no, no. I believe I have to take care of this once and for all. I didn't want to do this, Lance, but it's for your own good."  
He raised his hand and pointed it in a random direction as Lance shouted, "Daddy, no!" Too late. A beam of purple light blasted from his arm and exploded the cavern like a firework. He continued this five more times before finally shoving Lance out of the way and aiming to blast the statue.  
"Daddy, please, don't do it!" Lance pleaded his father. Shiro ignored him and the statue was blown to pieces. All Lance could do was fall down and cry.  
Shiro debated on speaking, but decided against it and left Lance to his own remorse.  
"Lance?" Hunk crept up to who friend.  
"Just go away." Lance could barely make out any noises from the hiccuping.  
Hunk and Pidge looked at each other before leaving Lance by himself. 

"Poor child." Lance looked up, but couldn't see anyone. He forced his tears to clear away, trying to peer through watered eyes. "Poor, sweet child. You've been so mistreated, haven't you?"  
"Wh-who are you?"  
"Why," two yellow glowing eyes made themselves known. "We are the assistants of someone very important." The two swam into the light to reveal their slippery, eel bodies.  
The second one spoke this time. "In fact, our boss may even be of some use to you."  
"R-really?"  
"Yes," the two spoke in unison. "He could even help you go to the surface- forever. If that's what you want?"  
Lance, now suspicious, raised an eyebrow. "Who is your boss?"  
"The seawitch, of course."  
"The seawitch?"  
"Oh, don't be frightened, child! The boss is not evil! He helps poor children like you become as happy as they desire!"  
"Could," Lance's eyebrows creased together. "Could I really live among the humans?"  
"Easy. That question was practically an insult to his power. Would you like us to take you to him?"

 

Pidge and Hunk we're slowly making their way back to the castle, when they saw their friend swim off with two eels.  
"Lance!" They tried to catch up with him. "Lance, what are you doing?" Pidge managed to grab ahold of one of his fins.  
"I'm going to see the sea witch."  
"What? Are you out of your mind? He's too dangerous!"  
"Why don't you go tell my father?" Lance snapped. "You're good at that." He flicked his tail hard enough to throw Pidge off of his fin.  
The two followed Lance all the way to the entrance of a cave. Lance didn't even hesitate.  
"It's really dark in there." Hunk's entire body was shaking in fear.  
"We have to go in there. For Lance." Pidge crawled into the cave;Hunk followed.

"Master, we have brought you another mer seeking out your wisdom." The two eels called.  
"Really," A raspy, but familiar voice answered. "And what would this one need from me?" A large, dark figure moved around before making themselves known in the light. The seawitch was-

"Dad?" He looked exactly like Shiro, but his eyes were yellow, his hair was a different style, his skin was purple, and his tail was a black octopus' body.  
"No, dear-"  
"You're not my dad. Why do you look like my dad?"  
"Ah, well, you see. I was created by the original seawitch to be your father. I never did anything wrong, I was just following the orders of my mother. Your father killed mine and sent me and my mother off to sea. She's some sort of pathetic cook now up in the surface. But what happened to me? I made my way here, where I help others in their time of need, unlike your father did to me."  
"You're Kuron!"  
"Exactly, child."  
"But that was different! You were trying to overrule the kingdom!"  
"Water under the bridge, kid!"  
"But-"  
"Now, what brings you to my homely abode?"  
"I," Lance shifted nervously now that he knew exactly who he was in the presence of. "I want to go to the surface."  
"The surface? Why?"  
"I'm in love with a human."  
The witch paused before replying. "A human?"  
"A man, yes. Can you do it?"  
"Well," Kuron flaunted over to his collection of potions. "The only way to get what you want is to become a human yourself."  
"Can you do that?" Lance asked hesitantly.  
"My dear, sweet child. That's what I do! It's what I live for! To help unfortunate merfolk like yourself, poor souls with no one else to turn to!  
I admit that in the past I've been a nasty!  
They weren't kidding when they called me, well, a witch!  
But you'll find that nowadays, i've mended all my ways, repented, seen the light, and made a switch! True? Yes!" By now, Pidge and Hunk had caught up and watched the witch carefully as he sang his song.  
"And I fortunately know a little magic.  
It's a talent that I always have possessed.  
And dear sir, please don't laugh, I use it on behalf, of the miserable, the lonely, and depressed!" He leaned in and whispered to his eels, "Pathetic.  
Poor unfortunate souls! In pain, in need!  
This one longing to be thinner, that one wants to get the girl, and do I help them?  
Yes, indeed!  
Those poor unfortunate souls! So sad, so true!  
They come flocking to my cauldron crying, 'Spells, Kuron, please!' And I help them, yes I do!" He swam over to Lance and leaned close to his face.  
"Now it's happened once or twice, someone couldn't pay the price, and I'm afraid I had to rake 'em 'cross the coals.  
Yes I've had the odd complaint, but on the whole I've been a saint, to those poor unfortunate souls!" The music that was never playing seemed to shut off as Kuron held out his hand. "Have we got a deal?"  
"If I become human," Lance watched him wearily. "I'll never be with my father or siblings again."  
"But you'll have your man! Life's full of tough choices, isn't it? Oh, and there is one more thing!" He snapped his fingers and a wooden carving of a lion appeared in his palm. "We haven't discussed the subject of payment."  
"But I don't have-"  
"I'm not asking much, just a token really, a trifle! What I want from you, is your voice."  
"My voice?" Lance gulped and reached to grab his own throat. "But without my voice, how can I-"  
"You'll have your looks, your pretty face!" Kuron looked offended from Lance even considered that talking was all it was about. "And don't underestimate the importance of body language, ha!" The non-existent music kicked up again as Kuron continued singing.  
"The men up there don't like a lot of blabber, they think a braud who gossips is a bore.  
Yes, on land it's much preferred for lovers not to say a word, and after all dear, what is idle babble for?  
Come on, they're not all that impressed with conversation.  
True gentlemen avoid it when they can!  
But they dote and swoon and fawn on a hottie who's withdrawn.  
It's they who holds their tongue who gets a man!  
Come on you poor unfortunate soul! Go ahead, make your choice!  
I'm a very busy man, and I haven't got all day!  
It won't cost much, just your voice!  
You poor unfortunate soul! It's sad, but true!  
If you want to cross the bridge, my sweet, you've got the pay the toll!  
Take a gulp and take a breath, and go ahead and sign the scroll!" Lance grabbed the pen handed to him as a purple mirage of a contract shimmered into existence.  
"Zethrid, Ezor, now I've got him, girls!  
The boss is on a roll! This poor unfortunate soul!" Lance signed his name and the contract disappeared.  
"No!" Pidge shouted. Purple smoke surrounded Lance as Kuron began to chant: "Beluga sevruga, come winds of the Caspian Sea!  
Larengix glaucitis, et max laryngitis, la voce to me!" He looked at Lance calmly. "Now, sing."  
Lance hesitantly opened his mouth and let out his voice. "Aa-aa-aah, a-aa-aah, a-aah!" He paused as smokey hands crawled towards his throat.  
"Keep singing!"  
"Aa-aa-aah, a-aa-aah!" His voice left his body with the hands and they pulled his voice into the lion figurine.  
"Very good, child. Now listen closely."  
Lance nodded his head, no longer able to speak.  
"You have three days to get the boy to fall in love with you and kiss you. By the sunset on the third day, if he has not done so, then you will be turned back into a merman and serve me for the rest of your life, but if he does- then you will stay a human forever! Do you understand?" Kuron said all this as he mixed potions together.  
Lance nodded his head once again.  
"Then go, your clock is ticking." Kuron threw the final potion onto Lance, the water being consummated with purple and black smoke. Hunk and Pudge watched in horror as their friend's tail disappeared, and instead was replaced with a pair of human legs. Lance grabbed his throat when he realized he couldn't breathe.  
"We have to get him to the surface, hurry!" Pidge ushered Hunk along with her and they got underneath each of his armpits, lifting for the surface.

They broke to the surface just as Lance was beginning to feel lightheaded. He coughed up water as he was set on the beach. He was still in the water, but there wasn't enough to submerge him completely. When he started to get his conscious back, he slowly lifted his leg and-  
He had a foot! He was a human!  
Lance grinned from ear to ear and wiggled his toes around in joy.  
"Oh no," Pidge began to mutter. "Oh no, oh no, oh no. Shiro's gonna kill me! What are we gonna do?!"  
Lance disregarded Pidge in favor of playing with his newly acquired limbs.  
"Maybe we can go back to Kuron! If it isn't too late, then we could convince him to change you back and..." Lance was now paying attention to her and pouted at her suggestion. "And you would be miserable for the rest of your life. Oh, Lance-" A screech was heard before a familiar bird landed on top of Lance's propped up leg. "Ahh!"  
"Lance!" Coran looked at his friend weirdly. "Something seems off about you, did you change something?" Lance nodded his head vigorously. "Hmm, oh! You used the dinglehopper!" Lance shook his head 'no'. "Then you, put on some makeup?" Lance again shook his head and thought of an idea to gain Coran's attention to his legs as Coran droned on question after question. Lance started to shake the leg that Coran was perched on, but nothing seemed to work.  
After five minutes, Pidge was tired, "He has legs now, you idiot! He made a deal with Kuron to turn him human!"  
"Ohhhh!"  
"Yeah, now he has to be kissed by a human in three days or else he'll be a slave for all eternity!"  
"Well, it can't be too hard. He is pretty cute!"  
"Ugh!" They all watched as Lance tried, but failed, to stand. "He's completely hopeless."  
Coran somehow managed to snap his toes. "I know! You need clothes!" He flew nearby and picked up a white sheet with a long piece of rope and started to dress Lance as a loud yipping sound started to make its way over to them, along with a very familiar voice. "There! You look perfect, Lance! Yes! Slay the unworthy!" He had tied the sheet around Lance with the rope in a- very fashionable way. He looked like a hag that had been washed ashore. Just then, the yipping and shouting came around the corner. Hunk dove back into the sea, Coran flew away, Pidge jumped into a pocket near Lance's waist, and Lance started to run away the best he could as the baby animal from before began to chase him. Eventually, he resorted flinging to himself onto a large rock.  
"Hamilton! What are you...oh." Holy Neptune, it's him. Lance thought as his very own Prince Charming walked towards him at a steady pace. "Hamilton, hey, back off!" He gently pushed his pet down from jumping onto Lance. "Hey," He spoke to Lance. He was speaking to Lance! "I can totally see why he came over here now. I'm sorry that he attacked you like that, he just got excited." He studied Lance for a minute. "Have we met before? You look familiar."  
Lance eagerly nodded his head.  
"Really? Then you must be the one I've been looking for! Will you tell me your name?"  
Lance nodded again before realizing a slight problem.  
"What's wrong?"  
Lance pointed at his throat.  
"You can't speak?"  
He nodded in reply, his smile starting to fade away.  
"Oh," Keith looked disappointed. "Never mind. You couldn't be him, then."  
Lance thought for a moment as they sat in an awkward silence before lighting up. He began to attempt to tell Keith what had happened with hand gestures, but all that seemed to do was make him look crazy.  
"Ok, you know what? Let's take you back to the castle. You must be tired." Keith hefted Lance into his arms bridal style, and Lance nearly swooned. He's carrying me like I'm his wife!  
The walk from the beach to the castle maybe took fifteen minutes, but to Lance, it was too short. With each step, he could feel Keith's muscle in his arms flex. He's a god.  
Keith dropped Lance off with the maids, instructing them to wash him before putting him to bed. Lance was- sadly- taken away from his prince and set down in a wooden tub. The maids took his clothes in disgust but began to wash his sheet anyway, with Pidge still in them. After being thoroughly cleaned, Lance was put into a nightgown of sorts and escorted into a guest room.  
"Wow." Lance looked around in awe at the sheer beauty of the place. He saw his prince outside the window walking back towards the beach.  
He's probably looking for me. Lance thought. He just doesn't know that it's me.  
There were a lot of differences between humans and merfolk, but they both knew what a bed was. Lance tucked himself in the covers and closed his eyes, a dreamy look was left on his face as he fell asleep to dream about his prince.

§§§§§§§

Lance awoke to the bright shine of the sun. He was dressed yet again by the maids and escorted to the dining room. He sat next to Keith as Kolivan sat across from them. Keith was staring at Lance, but Lance pretended that he didn't notice while inwardly keening, but he managed to smile politely.  
"Well, Keith, you've decided to pick up a stray. Congratulations." Kolivan sneered.  
"And condolences." Keith offered.  
Kolivan pretended not to hear him. "What is your name?" He asked Lance.  
"He can't speak." Oh, thank you, Keith! This could've been a whole lot more awkward.  
"Oh,"  
A beautiful maid waltzed into the room and stood next to Keith. "Your breakfast is almost ready, dear."  
"Thank you, mother."  
Lance gave them an odd look.  
"I'll explain later," Keith whispered to him. Lance almost fainted from Keith's lips being so close to him. He could feel his breath against his cheek. Lance looked around the table and saw that a dinglehopper was placed in front of him. He grabbed the dinglehopper and started brushing his hair, excited to show off his knowledge. He was not rewarded with praise he was expecting. Instead, the others looked at him oddly until he put the item in use back down.  
"Um, okay." Kolivan gave Keith a look before taking out a- oh! Lance knew what this was! Lance nodded his head toward Kolivan. "Oh? You want to try?" Lance nodded eagerly as Keith shook his head in an aggressive rejection. Kolivan handed Lance the snarfblatt while attempting to explain to Lance how to use it. Not bothering to listen, Lance blew right into the snarfblatt and sprayed Kolivan in the face with black smoke. At first, Lance was embarrassed, but that feeling faded in an instant and was replaced with a warm feeling in his gut when Keith busted out laughing.

Meanwhile, Pidge was having the time of her life. Literally. An old hag(why was she the cook?!) was chasing her around, planning on stuffing Pidge with lettuce. Oh no. She thought. Not me. She managed to crawl underneath a large cabinet as the cook launched herself at Pidge. The cabinet came down in a loud crash, and thousands of plates and jars were shattered. A maid came rushing in to see the horrors upon her and immediately started screaming at the cook in anger.  
"Just what on earth are you trying to pull off in here, Haggar?!"

 

Breakfast was served. The plates were neatly placed in front of them next to the silverware. Lance waited to see how the others ate before attempting so himself.  
"Psst!" Lance's head shot up. Pidge was in Kolivan's plate! Lance quickly lifted the cover of his plate and ushered to Pidge in a "come hither" motion. Pidge waited until the coast was clear before rushing over and sliding onto Lance's plate.  
"I'm sorry breakfast was late this morning. The cook was having some... difficulties."  
"That's just fine, Krolia." Kolivan looked down at his plate. "Where did my crab go?"  
"I'm so sorry! I don't know what is wrong with the cook today! I get it out immediately." She angrily stalked to the kitchen, practically slamming open the kitchen doors.  
"So," Keith faced Lance. "I was thinking I could show around town today. I suspect that you are new here."  
Lance blushed in return and nodded.  
"Cool," Keith smiled and Lance died. "Cool."

§§§§§§§

Humans new how to have fun. Throughout the day, Lance was shown around the kingdom. He watched people play their music, he danced(with Keith!), and he even got the delicacy to eat ice cream! It wasn't long before Lance's arms were full with food and treasures that Keith had bought for him.  
Now, Keith was driving Lance through the town, planning on taking him on a ride through the river. Lance had read a lot about carriages from the books he managed to find, but no one could prepare him for how the actual ride was. Keith obviously knew what he was doing, and it looked fun, so Lance decided that he wanted to try to steer as well. Bad idea.  
Lance tugged on Keith's arm and pointed at the reins.  
"What, you want to steer? Okay, just make sure to-woah!" As soon as Keith handed him the reins, Lance snapped them and had the horses race off running.  
"Woah, hey, tone it down a little, hey!" A cliff was vastly approaching. "Hey, we're not gonna make that jump!" Lance didn't listen. He pushed the horses to move faster and when they jumped for the other side, Lance left his lunch behind. "AHHHHHHHH!"  
Lance grinned as they landed more or less safely on the other side.  
"Okay, that was fun. But can I have the reins back? I'd like to take you somewhere special."  
Lance looked at Keith before making a mocking expression of Keith's face during the jump.  
"What? Was I that scared?"  
Lance nodded his head, mouth forming a laugh that he couldn't make.  
"Well, with you at the reins? I'm terrified."  
Lance punched Keith.

 

Keith had taken Lance's hand and led him onto a small rowboat, Lance politely sitting still as Keith rowed them along with the river's course.  
Back in the water, Hunk and Pidge watched as their friend's boat waded off.  
"Have they kissed yet?"  
"No, Hunk."  
Coran joined them, perched on a tree, when they followed the boat. "What are you fellows doing?"  
"We're trying to get that dude to kiss Lance." Hunk squinted his eyes at the hopefully-soon-to-be-couple. "Doesn't seem like anything's happening."  
"Oh, I know! We just need some music to set the mood!" The bird flew to be perched above Lance and Keith as they waded by and started squawking horrendously.  
"Wow," Keith chuckled. "Someone needs to put that poor bird out of his misery."  
Lance face palmed.  
"No, no, no! That's awful, stop! You're ruining it!" Pidge shook her head. "I'll do it. Watch and learn, Tweety." Pidge leaped and swam underwater to snap a small piece of grass from the ground. "Here we go," She surfaced and stood on a large plant big enough for her to stand on. "Percussion! Strings, winds, words:  
There you see him, sitting there across the way. He don't got a lot to say, but there's something about him.  
And you don't know why, but you're dying to try, you wanna kiss the boy!  
Yes, you want him, look at him, you know you do.  
It's possible he wants you too, there is one way to ask him.  
It don't take a word, not a single word, go on and kiss the boy. Sing with me now!" A chorus of different animals sang along and played soft, melodic music.  
"Sha la la la la la, my oh my, looks like the prince too shy, ain't gonna kiss the boy!  
Sha la la la la la, ain't that sad, it's such a shame, too bad, you're gonna miss the boy."

"I never got your name," Keith looked at Lance expectantly until realization struck him like a nail in the head. "Oh, right." Lance bit his lip in frustration. "Maybe I can guess your name?" Lance perked up again. "Okay, let's see. Is it... Daniel?" ... "Zac?" ... Pidge leaned from her perch into Keith's ear. "Lance! His name is Lance!"  
Now, maybe magic was working extra hard, but by some kind of mystical fate, Keith seemed to hear the tiny voice in his ear. "Lance," he muttered under his breath. Lance's head shot up and smiled. "Oh, is your name Lance?" Lance smiled more, happy to hear his name coming from Keith's voice.

"Now's your moment, floating in a blue lagoon.  
Boy, you better do it soon, no time will be better.  
He don't say a word, and he won't say a word, until you kiss the boy!  
Sha la la la la la, don't be scared, you got the mood prepared, go on and kiss the boy!" Keith slowly leaned in before stopping himself and turning away.  
"Sha la la la la la, don't stop now, don't try to hide it, how you wanna kiss the boy?  
Sha la la la la la, float along, and listen to the song, the song say: kiss the boy!Sha la la la la the music play, do what the music say, you wanna kiss the boy!Kiss the boy, you wanna kiss the boy! You gotta kiss the boy! Go on and kiss the boy!" The two leaned into each other before the boat was tilted and they went overboard. Splash! Well, that was a moment ruined.  
If anyone was looking, they would see two eels slip off laughing from under the boat.

After the eventful day, the two parted from each other. Lance was in his room brushing his hair with a proper brush, dancing his heart away to his own song.  
"Lance, tomorrow is your last day. He needs to kiss you soon!" Pidge sat on his nightside watching as the boy spun towards the window. His prince was walking back to the beach. "Lance, seriously, if he doesn't kiss you, you'll be stuck with Kuron forever!" Lance walked over to Pidge and kissed her on the head before slipping into bed and turning off the lights. "Ah geez, you really are hopeless." She watched her friend fall into blissful sleep. "Goodnight, Lance."

 

§§§§§§§

Keith walked out towards the beach playing his flute- a tune that had been stuck in his head for days now. He leaned against the balcony overlooking the beach, and transitioned from looking at his flute and the ocean. Making his decision, he reached his arm with the flute back as far as he could before throwing with all his strength. Before he could turn and walk away, he heard a familiar voice singing.  
Along the beach, a beautiful man walked, singing a tune that Keith had been playing earlier. A faint purple light shifted through the air around him from his necklace-the pendant a beautifully carved lion, and all Keith could think of before the magic overtook him was: It's him.

§§§§§§§

Today was the last day. Depending on how it went, Lance's life could be made happier than it ever could have been, or completely ruined.  
Lance raced out of his room and into the grand hall, awaiting to see his prince, when he heard talking in the living area. Lance peaked behind a pillar and saw Keith downstairs with his arms around a man he'd never seen before. Kolivan was in front of them talking. "Are you sure, Keith?"  
"Yes," Keith answered, his voice sounded as if he was in a trance. "I want to marry this man by sunset tonight."  
"Very well, you're majesty." Keith could have taken a sword and shoved it into Lance's heart and it wouldn't have hurt as much as this did. Lance's eyes filled with tears as he ran away, crying. Pidge, who had been with him the whole time, ran after him. This day was going awful.  
  

The day had gone by, and Lance watched as the ship sailed off to sea, where Keith would be marrying his beloved. Pidge sat next to him on the harbor while Hunk floated along in the water. Things seemed to be going hopelessly wrong, especially since everything had seemed to be turning in their favor the night before.  
"LANCE!" They looked up as Coran dived down and landed in front of them. "Lance, you've got to go stop that wedding!"  
"It's, no use, Coran. He wants to marry that guy, not me."  
"No! I WAS LOOKING, and there was this window, AND THE GUY WAS IN THE MIRROR INSTEAD OF THE GUY AND HE WAS SINGING AND HIS VOICE CHANGED AND- Okay, basically, THE GUY MARRYING KEITH IS THE SEAWITCH AND HE HAS KEITH IN SOME SORT OF SPELL!"  
Lance shot to his feet. "I've got to save him then!"  
"Right!" Pidge pointed to Hunk. "You! Use this," She cut the rope off of a stack of barrels next to them and they went tumbling down into the ocean. "And take Lance to the ship. Hurry."  
"You got it!" Hunk slipped into the knot of the rope as Lance tied the other end onto the barrel and jumped into the water.  
"I'll go back to the sea king! He must know about this if we are going to have any chance of saving Lance!"  
"What about me? What can I do?" Coran asked urgently.  
"You, can crash the wedding. Stall it as much as you can!"  
"On it!"

The four set out on their separate journeys. Hunk was swimming as fast as his fins would let him, and Pidge had called on a dolphin to guide her to the kingdom. Coran flew around, calling on all the sea and air critters to help in crashing the wedding before it was too late.  
Sea otters and sea lions gathered alike and jumped on deck. Several seagulls and pigeons flew above, dunking water and seaweeds and other sea creatures on the witch. Starfish blinded him, a lobster pinched his nose, the sea lions bounced him from animal to animal.  
"Hurry, Lance." Hunk steadied the barrel the best he could as Lance climbed onto the ship. Hamilton, who had known something was off the entire time, bit the witch on the butt as Coran tugged on the necklace the witch wore- which had a lion figurine as the pendant. The necklace snapped and the figurine broke at Lance's feet. Blue magic swirled around him as the spell broke and Lance's voice was back.  
"No!" The witch shouted.  
Keith walked over to Lance, who watched him nervously. "It was you, wasn't it? You saved me."  
"Yes, it was me."  
"You can talk?"  
"It's a lot to explain."  
Keith smiled for the first time that day. He took Lance's hand and leaned in.

"You're too late!" 

Lance fell into Keith's arms as he felt a pang of fire burning in his legs. His tail was growing back. The witch laughed as he took on his true form, his voice now his own. Crowds gasped and parted as he marched over to Lance and ripped him from Keith's arms. "So long, lover boy! I'll be taking this one back as my own! Ha!" He jumped off the ship with Lance in his arms.  
"No!" Keith ripped off his over shirt and almost dived into the water after them. Then he remembered he was weaponless, but where would he find a weapon?

Down below, Kuron grasped a fighting Lance tightly. "Quit moving, we had a deal, you're highness."  
"Kuron." A voice boomed in front of them. Standing tall next to Pidge was the king himself, the true Shiro. "Release my son at once."  
"Sorry, daddy!" Kuron sneered. "But we made a deal! He signed the contract." The contract shimmered back to existence. Shiro frowned and blasted it with his arm, but it did no damage to the magical scroll.  
Kuron laughed maniacally. "I'm afraid even your magic isn't as powerful as the legality of a magical contract!"  
Shiro looked at Pidge for more ideas. Everything all of a sudden seemed hopeless.  
"But," Kuron smirked. "I'd be willing to exchange your son for something more profitable... something like, the king of the sea, perhaps?"  
Shiro watched as Kuron struck his son, slowly turning him into a withered polyp.  
"Well?"  
Shiro closed his eyes.  
"Majesty, no." Pidge pleaded.  
He blasted the contract once again, this time replacing Lance's name with his.  
"The deal is done!" Kuron laughed and switched Lance and Shiro. He reached out to Shiro, now a polyp, and plucked his crown from the ground.  
"Daddy?" Lance whimpered.  
"Now I shall rule the seas! Ah!" He screeched as he was pierced by a spear. Keith was there, underwater. He started to swim up for air when Kuron sent his eels to attack him. Pidge and Hunk went to help Keith as Kuron held Lance back.  
"Get one last look at him, cause it will be your last!" Kuron aimed his magic at Keith. Not knowing what to do, Lance ripped Kuron's head upwards by his hair and caused him to drawl back and accidentally vaporize his eels. "No! My babies!"  
Lance swam to Keith above water. "Keith, you need to leave. It's too dangerous."  
"No, I'm not losing you again." While Lance was glad to hear Keith say that, he really didn't need this right now. They were retched apart from each other as Kuron rose from the sea, now the size of a colossal titan. The two grabbed hands and they leaped off of his head and back into the water. 

"You fools!" He raised a tentacle and brought it down towards the two. They managed to dodge away just in time. "Did you really think you could defeat me so easily?"  
A storm was beginning to form, and waves sent Keith flying away from Lance. "Keith!" Lance, now furious, turned back to Kuron. "Honestly? I thought it'd be a little harder!"  
Kuron formed a whirlpool, raising sunken ships from all around the ocean back to the surface of the water. Unbeknownst to Kuron, Keith managed to latch onto the ropes of one of these ships and climb aboard.  
Lance was struck down to the bottom of the whirlpool with no way to escape. Kuron decided to play with him a little and sent blast after blast of lightning, Lance dodging for his life. Finally, Kuron decided to end it once and for all, and aimed his magic toward Lance. Laughing hysterically, drunk over a not yet won victory.  
"So much for true love!" He raised his hand just as Keith aimed the bow of the ship toward him, pierced him straight through his stomach, and jumped off. "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Kuron screamed in agony as he sunk under along with the ship in a manner similar to the kraken.  
Keith barely made it to the shore and started to cough up water and passed out(again) as the storm settled down. Back underwater, all the people that had made a deal with Kuron were revived from their polyp states, including the true king himself, who rightfully took his crown once again. The ocean seemed to glimmer with more life than it ever had before. 

The sun rose overhead, and Lance watched amongst his rock from before as his prince slowly woke up.  
Nearby, Pidge and Shiro watched Lance from a distance.  
"He really does love him, doesn't he?" Shiro asked without looking in Pidge's direction, instead, keeping his eyes on his son.  
"Well, you can't always have someone watching over him, Shiro. Someday, he's got to make it on his own."  
"Didn't you say something completely different before?"  
Pidge shrugged her shoulders in reply.  
The king sighed. "I'm really going to miss him."  
"What? Shiro, what are you-really?"  
The king lit his hand once again and gently touched the water. Shimmers of light purple danced in the water towards Lance. In an instant, he was being immersed in the light, and looked at his father in shock.

Keith slowly stood up, his conscious finally coming back to him. He really needed to stop passing out on beaches. Coming to, he looked around, fearing that Lance had once again left him stranded on the beach. And he had, for a few seconds.  
Lance emerged from the water in clothes weaved from the magical essence of the sea. Relieved, Keith ran and spun Lance around in his arms, setting him down so Lance could grab ahold of his bearings before giving Lance his long-overdue kiss.

§§§§§§§

Humans and merfolk were gathered alike around and on the ship as Keith kissed his, now, husband. The crowds roared, including King Shiro- who let out a large 'whoop' as well as a 'that's my boy!'. Hamilton, which Lance now knew was a baby hippo, squished himself in between them to give them each a loving lick before hopping off into the crowd, his stub of a tail wagging back and forth. Krolia cried into Kolivan's arms and Lance's siblings waved from below. Coran even brought Hunk over for a few seconds to allow Lance to give him a high-flipper and a loving kiss on the cheek, before tossing him back to the water, Coran giving Lance a little wink as he went down.  
Pidge was crying for two reasons. One: Lance, whom she had been friends with growing up, was now married and a human. Two: she was once again being chased by that hag of a cook Haggar. Luckily, Pidge found her own way out by snipping a pulley's rope with her pincers, allegedly having a small mast smack Haggar in the face. The hag went crashing down.  
Lance leaned over the railing, looking out at his father. Shiro smiled softly at his son and had the water rise him to be level with Lance. The two shared one last warm, loving hug.  
"I love you daddy." Lance whispered into Shiro's ear before pulling away. Keith, standing behind Lance, made eye contact with Shiro, and bowed in respect. Shiro bowed in reply, happy to know that Lance was marrying a gentleman. Shiro caressed Lance's face as he allowed himself to descend, Lance blowing him a kiss in return.  
Keith and Lance, arm in arm, waved to the sea as the ship waded farther along, off into the distance. Shiro waved a rainbow into the sky as a good bye.  
    
     And they all lived happily ever after.

 

The End.

**Author's Note:**

> There’s this little “gift this work” thing on here? I already gave my friend this fic(read:print), so I don’t know if I should “gift” this to her now??? It’s a month or so after her birthday already anyway???


End file.
